OK, so you’re intrigued by those online services and all that nice software that says they’ll do and file your taxes this year FOR FREE! Hmmmmm… We all like stuff for free, but hold the phone here folks – there’s more happening here than you may be aware of…

You may not be aware, yet, but you’re being mined and sold. Yupo folks, once again if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is.

It would appear that there’s really a growing and big business in mining as much information about you from your tax forms and from all those piles of paperwork that you have to use to create those monstrosities that you have to send the IRS each year! Think how much information you really tell about yourself when you file your 1040. Do you have any loans? Investments? Outside business interests? Student loans or college payments of any sort? Well, it’s all on your 1040 and it’s all there for whomever is doing your electronic filing to mine, aggregate, package and sell to whomever will buy it. The latest buzz word is call “monetizing the customer” – uh, that’s you! And it’s big business and big money.

SO, if you don’t want to be sold you may want to read the fine print and make sure that your privacy stays that way – private.

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About Me

Don Rima

Don Rima is an Information Systems consultant with over 25 years experience in Information Systems. His roles of responsibility have included programming, systems management and IT department management. He's also a technical editor and writer, does regular product reviews, is a very good cook, gardener and avid reader and writer. His sports interest include: the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Orioles, Clemson Tigers and Chelsea Football teams. The articles on this site are written to be correct, informative, laconic, provoke progressive thought, informative and sometimes make you laugh. They're not designed to be the writing of just another politically correct drone.